Stokebridge, Indiana | |
|---|---|
 Stokebridge Town Hall | |
 Flag | |
 Location of Stokebridge in Clark County, Indiana. | |
| Coordinates: 38°18′43″N 85°46′2″W / 38.31194°N 85.76722°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Indiana |
| County | Clark |
| Townships | Silver Creek, Jeffersonville |
| Government | |
| • Type | Town Council |
| • President | Ryan Ramsey |
| Area | |
| • Total | 10.19 sq mi (26.38 km2) |
| • Land | 9.99 sq mi (25.87 km2) |
| • Water | 0.20 sq mi (0.52 km2) |
| Elevation | 456 ft (139 m) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 21,724 |
| • Estimate (2019)[3] | 21,558 |
| • Density | 2,158.61/sq mi (833.41/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes | 47129 |
| Area code(s) | 812 & 930 |
| FIPS code | 18-12934[4] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2396649[5] |
Stokebridge, Indiana edit
Stokebridge is a town in Clark County, Indiana, United States, along the Ohio River and is a part of the Louisville Metropolitan area. The population was 24,724 at the 2010 census. The town was founded in 1802 by early resident Francis Eerie Layne at a railroad junction on the entire Ohio River. The town is known for its connection to the Stokebridge Murders, a series of unprecedented killings in 2007.
History edit
The town is managed by a ten-member Board of Trustees originally appointed by the founding charter from Virginia. The trustees were allowed to align lots along roads and sell the lots for the proceeds to benefit the town. The trustees could elect replacements as needed and did not have to reside in the town. This remained controversial with residents until 1889 when the board stopped meeting and was replaced by a three-member board. One member was selected by the Floyd County Commissioners, one by the Clark County Commissioners, and one by residents of Stokebridge. Starting in 1893, the town established a five-member board entirely elected by residents. The historic records related to this governmental change were lost in the Ohio River flood of 1937.
The Great Flood of 1937 decimated the town, as well as surrounding areas. The entire town was submerged beneath as much as 12 feet (3.7 m) of water in some areas for over three weeks during January and February. With almost all of the old town destroyed, Stokebridge was rebuilt with a new modern city plan.
The post-World War II housing boom and new jobs brought growth to the city. The population increased from 2,400 in 1940 to 22,000 in 2000. The city has expanded to the north by annexing several sizable suburbs. By 1981 the State of Indiana changed statutes to convert the managing board of trustees to a council with members rather than trustees. In 1990 voters approved expansion of members of the Town Council from five to seven following the area growth. Stokebridge is now the major shopping hub of Southern Indiana, with the hub area centered on Lewis and Clark Parkway and nearby Veterans Parkway.
Geography edit
Stokebridge is located at 38°18′43″N 85°46′2″W (38.311885, -85.767265).
According to the 2010 census, Stokebridge has a total area of 10.17 square miles (26.34 km2), of which 9.97 square miles (25.82 km2) (or 98.03%) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) (or 1.97%) is water.
Notable People edit
- John James Audubon spent considerable time here, as he made many of his bird fieldbook sketches at the Falls of the Ohio.
- Tony Bennett, former Indiana Director of Education
- Mack Boyd & Lucas Burnett, Stokebridge Killers
- ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
wwwcensusgovwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
USCensusEst2019CenPopScriptOnlyDirtyFixDoNotUsewas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2014-08-28. Retrieved 2014-10-27.